Tuesday, 2 October 2012

Promoting Tourism in Zambia

In August next year, Zambia will jointly host the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) general assembly meeting with Zimbabwe in Livingstone/Victoria Falls.

In a recent article, the two countries were praised for their preparation efforts, as well as the quality of their tourism destinations.

It is an exciting opportunity and serves to highlight the wealth of tourism attractions in both countries. However, there are a few pressing questions we must be asking.

First, will the economic benefits of hosting the conference be greater than the economic costs for its preparation?

Second, how can Zambia promote its tourist attractions over those in Zimbabwe. Even despite sanctions against the country and international dislike of President Mugabe, Zimbabwe still has more visitors to its side of Victoria Falls. And many recent international guests of both countries have expressed that they were much more pleased with the customer service and amenities on the Zimbabwean side.

What should Zambia being doing to promote tourism? Should we be using the UNWTO as a platform in this effort?

3 comments:

That Sata should be signing up with Mugabe is a disgrace, no matter what it is for. Sata was warned by senior PF members before the election to desist from his intemperate remarks regarding Mugabe. He agreed to do so, but has reneged, and we have egg all over our faces as a result. How can a tripartite arrangement between the UNWTO (which is not concerned with matters of principle or ethics) for a talk fest in Vic Falls be exciting? We all know ad nauseam what should be done to promote Tourism in Zambia. Sata strutting around with the Zimbabwean dictator and letting out Zanu-PF grunts is not one of them. No person of any sense and sensibility should use the UNWTO to promote tourism if Mugabe is involved; and that clothes-pony, Minister Sylvia Masebo, is only making matters worse for Zambian tourism by threatening to have such as the Zambian Watchdog expunged for having the temerity to criticize the Sata/Mugabe/UNWTO axis. And should Minister Simuusa allow the mining plunder of the Lower Zambezi National Park to take place, the UNTWO general assembly will be boycotted by international tourist organisations. Remember Mosi oa Tunya and the boycott that was only just averted? Zimbabwe African National Union -Patriotic Front! The penny has only just dropped.

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